Principles of Purity. By Dianna Hobbs Author of The New A-list: Abstinence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

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1 Principles of Purity By Dianna Hobbs Author of The New A-list: Abstinence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder First things first. Sexual sin is no different than any other sin. There are no degrees of sin, no little or BIG ones. If you struggle with sexual temptation, join the club. Take a number. Accept that it s normal. WE ARE ALL HUMAN and predisposed to wrongdoing, whoever or wherever we are. Psalm 51:5 NLT says, For I was born a sinner yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. From birth, sin is ingrained in us all. So then, out of the estimated 7 billion people on planet earth, you are not alone in your fight against sin. The good news is, you can win. I m here to show you how.

2 There are Six Things You Must Do if you are serious about abstinence and living out God s plan for your life.

3 Perversion alters the purpose of a thing, by distorting, and corrupting its original intent. In our hyper-sexualized culture, sex, which God intended to be between a married man and woman, has been mishandled, mischaracterized, and mistaken for an anything goes, nothing-is-out-ofbounds activity. This is wrong. that gets mainstream promotion. Sex tapes are marketed like movies. Naked photographs are leaked online regularly. Video vixens and strippers are glorified. Pop stars reveal as much as possible and leave very little to the imagination. Male entertainers reenact full-on sex scenes for videos and concert performances. Gratuitous sex talk fills our most popular hit melodies. All these things work together to keep us focused on lust, outward appearance, and pleasure only. You must first see this as perversion before you can rise above the influence of its perverseness. You cannot fight an enemy you do not recognize.

4 What you watch, listen to, buy and do with your body is a choice. You have the power to say yes or no. Exercise it. As a single person striving to remain holy and chaste, filling your heart and mind with sex-related content leads to increased lust for the wrong things. Take your abstinence journey so seriously, that you refuse to allow anyone or anything to put you in a position where abstaining becomes too hard for you to honor your body, and your vow of purity. 1 Corinthians 6:18 NLT says, Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. You have to run away from activities, entertainment, and temptations that weaken you; then, run toward the things that build up your strength, faith, and resolve to wait. It is foolish to play with fire and expect not to be burned by the intense heat of its untamable flames.

5 Re-training simply means teaching new skills. After you clear your head and space of toxic influences, you have to refocus and learn different, better ways to interact with the world around you. The word of God will help you do this. Romans 12:2 ESV says, Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. is critical to leaving behind old ways and bad habits, and adopting new, healthier ways to live. But this must be a deliberate, conscious, engaged process. You have to make a choice to set aside time for God every day. Do whatever it takes to renew your mind daily. It is not just a one-time deal and voilà! No. Just as a one-time bath cannot keep the body clean, your heart and mind must be cleansed daily by the washing with water through the word (Ephesians 5:26)

6 Making the necessary personal changes, with the help of the Lord, and putting in the work, is only half the battle. You will have to defend your space, convictions, and lifestyle. Defending, by definition, is resisting an attack made on someone or something your wish to protect. Trust and believe, saying yes to abstinence invites the attack of the enemy. But you have the power to fight back. to thwart progress. So expect others to misunderstand, criticize, or even isolate you. Anticipate that you may have to lose some people, disengage from specific activities, and withdraw from certain social circles that make you vulnerable to succumbing to unwholesome desires. Don t be afraid to be the odd man or woman out, floating above it all in a sea of compromise. Be firm about what you believe. Set boundaries and don t flinch. God will reward your faithfulness in living a disciplined, principled life. His blessings and favor will follow you.

7 Feelings of loneliness, isolation, depression, or even craving of old things may overtake you from time to time. It s okay. Emotions can be all over the place. Expect that to happen, but don t fall into a slump. Encourage yourself. Give yourself support, hope, and confidence. How? Lean on the unfailing promises in the word of God. is a noble, God-honoring, healthy thing to do. But it does not happen without challenges. Know that tough times will come, when you may feel tempted to question your own decision. But don t waver. Don t stop when you re down in a low valley. Know that God, who has started out this process in your life, will be there with you, holding your hand, every step of the way. When you need encouragement to keep moving, remind yourself of what Philippians 1:6 NIV says: being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

8 Staying on the right road during your abstinence journey and not wavering isn t just good for you. It s great for everybody looking up to you as a role model and example of what s possible! Begin seeing yourself as a leader, chosen by God to lead the way for those who are yet searching for help and answers. You are a beacon of light, a ray of hope. Get your shine on!, But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith will not fail. So when you recover, strengthen the other disciples. (Luke 22:32 GOD S WORD Translation) In other words, when you get yourself together and cross over to the other side of strength, wholeness, and breakthrough, don t forget about others. Come back and help strengthen someone else. I know you may wonder, can God really use me? Yes He can and He will! You don t have to have a perfect past. That would disqualify us all. You just have to be yielded to Him in the present, moving ahead toward the future. If you are willing to say yes to His plan for your life, He wants you.

9 Get in-depth teaching, tips, and advice, rooted in the word of God, to help you along your abstinence journey in The New A-list: Abstinence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder (NyreePress) by Dianna Hobbs. Visit for more information.

10 About The New A-list A NEW GENERATION IS RISING. Corporately-backed media has set up members of the Hollywood A-list as modern-day gods, molding everything from the values of society, to the sexual behaviors of an entire generation, and contributing to the erosion of the moral fiber of a nation. But a cultural shift is happening. A new army of A-listers, with the A representing abstinence, is arising and standing up for sexual purity, in a sex-crazed culture. In The New A-List, author Dianna Hobbs highlights and mobilizes a new crop of leaders, who are determined to lift the taboo off abstinence and virginity. Through research, biblical and practical principles, and personal stories, readers will discover how to effectively counter immoral culture, become positive change agents, and personally adopt a successful lifestyle of purity. About Dianna Hobbs Named one of the 70 Most Influential Black Christian History-Makers by Black Christian News Network, abstinence advocate Dianna Hobbs, is an award-winning urban faith-based media specialist, journalist, inspirational blogger, and radio personality. The Founder of Empowering Everyday Women Ministries employs modern methods to spread the Gospel in contemporary society. Dianna resides in Upstate NY with her husband Kenya and the couple s four children. Visit her at